Blair successor saga will hit Holyrood poll says McConnell

The Prime Minister announced last year that he would quit No. 10 during the course of the current Westminster Parliament.

And Mr McConnell said the debate about who should take over from him would influence the vote north of the Border, adding it could have either a positive or negative impact for Labour.

The First Minister told Parliamentary Monitor magazine: "The debate about Tony Blair's future and the succession is going to have an impact on the Scottish Parliamentary election.

"It could have a positive impact or it could have a negative impact for the Scottish Labour Party's prospects."

He added: "There have been lots of changes in public opinion over the last 12 months, and there could be a lot more over the next 12."

But he said the issue of who should take over as Prime Minister should not be a focus for the Holyrood elections in May.

Mr McConnell said: "It would be a real abuse of devolution if any of the other parties tried to turn a Scottish parliamentary election, which is voting for people who make laws determining the direction of the country over the next few years, into a referendum or a single issue about that situation.

"That would be a mistake. It's not what devolution was for."